Celebrating Kwanzaa(宽扎节)

This past summer, I left home without my family for the first time to go to Ghana for two weeks in The Year of Return. The Year of Return is a year       1     400 years since enslaved Africans touched down on American soil.

I joined Pittsburgh Public School’s African American Center for advanced Studies Executive committee and was fully       2     to the tradition of Kwanzaa.

Much like a harvest festival, the holiday was       3     by the African-American professor Maulana Karenga with the purpose of celebrating,       4     and unifying the black community in the aftermath(余波) of the1965 Watts riots. It is       5     in the week of Dec 26 to Jan 1.

During the festival, we begin by reading up on the holiday, going through the seven principles       6     to the seven days of Kwanzaa. We then end the ceremony by pouring libation(祭酒) to those who have paved our way. During libation, we stand with our hands joined and our respects given. For the first time, the whole becomes one.

On each day of Kwanzaa, we light one of the seven candles. The candles come in three colors: black, red and green. We start with one black candle for the people. There are three red candles for their struggle and three green candles for their future. Each candle also       7     one of seven Swahili principles: Umoja, the first candle, stands for unity; Kujichagulia, self-determination; Ujima, collective work and       8    ; Ujamaa, cooperative economics; Nia, purpose; Kummba, creativity; and Imani, faith. After lighting each candle, we showcase our talents, whether they are spoken word, poetry, music, dance or performing a monologue.

Over the seven nights of Kwanzaa, people       9     tell stories. On the last night of Kwanzaa, following the candle-lighting, families give gifts to children and prepare a feast, ending the holiday as you begin a new year together.

For two continuous years, I’ve chosen Ujamaa as my principle of the day. It’s the principle of cooperative economics, and to me it means investing in and supporting black-owned businesses. My main reason for choosing Ujamaa is that it is also the name of the store in the Hill District that gave me the       10     to visit Ghana.

I still remember the last Christmas Granny spent with us. I remember it was a cold, windy day because Granny’s grey hair was a     1     when she arrived. With Christmas on the way, our     2     grew each day—lights appeared in the streets, Christmas cards arrived, and there was snow everywhere. Granny and I made sugar biscuits,     3     the turkey and then I sat on my granny’s lap and we sang Christmas songs. Granny had     4     to sing it over and over again.

On Christmas Eve, Granny took a seat by the fire as we put up the Christmas tree. I     5     most of the decorations on the branches.Before bed, Granny and I put a stocking at the end of my bed. I was on my best behaviour as we opened the presents the next day. Later, Granny called me over. “I have something special for you,” Granny     6    . “It’s for all your treasures. Merry Christmas.”It was a music box with a ballet dancer inside.

Lunch was a loud and exciting affair. We put on silly paper hats and had a big turkey with potatoes, followed by Christmas pudding. David put so much pudding in his mouth that he couldn’t     7    . Granny laughed so much that her paper hat fell off.

A few weeks after that Christmas, Granny passed away. When I think about what makes Christmas so     8    , it’s not just gifts and Father Christmas that come to mind. It’s also my memory of Granny.